MILLER COUNTY, Mo— One person died and five were injured after two boats collided just after 10p.m. Saturday at Lake of the Ozarks.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Formula Cruiser driven by Bradley Siebenek, 37, Holts Summit, was headed downstream at the four-mile mark of the Osage Arm. A 2002 Formula cruiser driven by Kelly L. Wise, 59, Atlantic, IA., was headed upstream when the boats collided.

The body of Jason Russell, 39, Eugene, was recovered by divers at 4:30 p.m. Sunday in 80 feet of water, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol

EMS transported Siebeneck and passengers in the 1999 Formula Brian D. Basham, 42, Eldon, Wise and a passenger in the 2002 Formula Tammy Wise were transported to Lake Regional Hospital.

Nathan P Sneller, 37, Jefferson City, was airlifted to University Hospital. They were not wearing life jackets, according to the MSHP.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an arson fire and have a suspect in custody.

Just after 1 p.m. Saturday.  fire crews responded to a structure fire located at 911 SE Bellview Avenue in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Michael Martin.

Upon arrival, fire crews found the two story wooden frame residential structure with smoke showing. Firefighters began an offensive fire attack, keeping it confined to the structure of fire origin.

A preliminary investigation indicates the fire was intentionally set, according to Martin. The estimated dollar loss is $15,000, of which all is associated with structural loss.

During the course of the investigation a suspect was identified.  Police arrested 32-year-old Wesley E. Howell. He booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of arson.

There were no injuries reported.

LINDSBORG – Will Jones will step down as Bethany College President this summer, Board of Directors Chair Corey Peterson, ’84, announced.

According to Peterson, an interim president will be identified in the coming weeks for the 2019-2020 academic year. Vice President of Academic Affairs Beth Mauch will serve as acting president until then.

“We have accomplished much at Bethany thanks to Will’s leadership, tireless work ethic, and skills. Fortunately, Will is leaving Bethany in a good place. We have had back-to-back record Freshman classes and strong enrollment growth over the past three years. The college is in good standing with the Higher Learning Commission, has an excellent cabinet, faculty and staff in place, and has enjoyed several years of balanced budgets. Looking forward, Bethany has the pieces and plan needed to continue strengthening its financial standing and to successfully carry on its mission,” Peterson said.

“I am deeply saddened to have Will leave, but am thrilled for him and his family to have an opportunity to move back to his home state to serve an excellent college where they will be near their family and friends. I will be forever grateful to Will and Amy and all they did to allow Bethany to not only survive a very difficult situation, but to thrive. Lindsborg will miss them and their wonderful children, and I wish them the very best.”

Jones said, “Serving Bethany with the college’s faculty, staff, and board the past three years has been a professional honor. I am deeply grateful for the confidence placed in me to help Bethany College to rise. It has been great to have been a Bethany Swede.”

Jones will become the president of Georgetown College effective July 1.

Since arriving at Bethany in the summer of 2016, Jones has led the college in increasing full-time enrollment nearly 25 percent. Jones also led the college in launching the Good Life Scholarship, Swedes to Sweden, and Bethany College Swedish Crafts. The college benefited from a renovation of Alma Swenson Hall and the construction of a new tennis complex during Jones’s tenure. In addition, Bethany also secured a USDA loan to purchase New Hall and refinance the college’s long-term debt and completed a five-year strategic plan.

Following the appointment of an interim president in the coming weeks, the college’s board of directors will begin a national search for a permanent successor.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A man who has spent nearly three decades in prison for the 1989 killing of Oregon’s prisons director was freed Friday while the state appeals the ruling that led to his release.

Frank Gable left prison after a U.S. magistrate found in April that the trial court made an error in excluding evidence of third-party guilt.

U.S. Magistrate Judge John V. Acosta also found that Gable’s attorneys provided him with “ineffective assistance in failing to assert Gable’s federal due process rights in the face of the trial court’s error.”

Gable, now 59, left the prison in Lansing, Kansas, and had to report directly to a federal probation officer in Kansas City. He’ll be allowed to live with his wife in Kansas.

“We don’t really want to talk about the case or nothing, just glad to be out,” Gable told Fox 4 News.

“He thanks those who believed in his innocence all these years,” said Nell Brown, one of two assistant federal public defenders who represented Gable in challenging the murder conviction.

Francke’s brothers, Pat and Kevin Francke, have been staunch defenders of Gable and believe he was wrongly convicted.

Gable was convicted in the stabbing death in Salem of prisons chief Michael Francke, 42, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

He must participate in drug and mental health assessments and counseling as directed by the U.S. Pretrial Services Office. Gable was not placed on electronic monitoring, although the state urged it.

The April ruling came after multiple witnesses recanted their testimony and defense lawyers cited a record of improper interrogation and flawed polygraphs used to question witnesses and shape their statements to police.

Acosta then ordered Gable to be released or retried within 90 days of his order.

The state’s appeal contends another man’s confession was unreliable because he had changed his account multiple times.

Acosta agreed to put his order to retry Gable on hold while the state’s appeal is pending before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Authorities say a man has been charged with second-degree murder and other counts in the death of his girlfriend, whose body was found inside her rural Jackson County home near Kansas City earlier this week.

44-year-old Dana Jones is charged in the death of 54-year-old Kimberly Alcorn.

Jackson County Sheriff’s deputies were called to her home late Tuesday night for a report of a shooting, and arrived to see a car leaving the home and gave chase. Deputies say Jones was driving the car, which soon crashed. Jones, who was naked, was arrested.

Jones remains jailed on $250,000 cash bail.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A 19-year-old Kansas man was sentenced 30 years in prison for his role in a shooting death and three robberies.

Dion Jha ‘Dantaye Troupe had previously pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and three counts of aggravated robbery.

Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay says Troupe and three others were involved in the February 2018 killing of Tyrone Baggett.

Baggett was shot during a home invasion. He died later at a hospital.

The shooting came less than an hour after Troupe and three others robbed a Daylight Donuts in Topeka.

Two other men have been found guilty in Baggett’s death and the robberies. Erion Dijon Kirtdoll was sentenced to 46 years in prison, while Eli Perry awaits sentencing.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two Kansas lawmakers are encouraging teachers to incorporate culturally relevant studies into their lesson plans.

Democratic Reps. John Alcala and Valdenia Winn have spearheaded the Kansas Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Summer Intensive program, which is in its second year.

Alcala helped create the initiative after noticing a lack of representation of various ethnic groups in history text books.

The four-week-long program teaches Kansas educators about culturally relevant pedagogy, including Native American, Chicano/Latino, African American and Asian American studies. Teachers then implement the lessons in their classrooms, and share with program directors what did and didn’t work.

Alcala said all teachers who participate will be certified in culturally relevant pedagogy upon completion of the program. Those educators can then share the information with other teachers, he said.

“As far as we know, this model we have created in Kansas is unique,” said Christina Valdivia-Alcala, founder of the Tonantzin Society who also helped organize the program.

Valdivia-Alcala said the program helps educators teach students about “important footprints across America that different cultures have made,” as well as the importance of critical thinking.

Michelle McClaine, an English teacher at the Sumner Academy of Arts and Science school in Kansas City, Kansas, is among the educators participating in the program. She said Mexican American students make up about 60% of her students.

“Having a program like this where you can really ask those uncomfortable questions or get that info that you can be able to show all perspectives of what it means to be Americans, or what that story is of America is very cool and very empowering,” McClaine said.